Animal-trap.



JK.A. 'BEVERLY.

ANIMAL TRAP. APPLICATI' EEEEEEEEE PTH 9,1914. y l 1,1 66,5731.- y s Patented m4, 1916.

/IVVEN T019 JAMES A. )anvil-annif, oFLToPEKAV, KANSAS.

,animan-maar.

Specicationof Letters Patent. I

Patenteaaaa. a, 191e.-

Arpliaanaedslepaateir19,1914. Seralmam l C To all whom it may concern;

Be a known that I, Janes a. Bamm a Citizen of the United States, residing at,

T'Qrka; in the @Quinty of ,Shawnee and Statie 0f Kansas. have invented. Certain new and useful Improvements' 1n Animal-Traps;

I d0 declare the. following to be full, der. and ma destapa@ @f ae ravenna. such as willenable. others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make use .the same, reference beinghad to the Lmp'a'nying drawings, and tothe lettersandgligures of reference marked thereon, which form a Part of this sneciication.- Y

My invention relates to animal traps,

has for its principal object to provide a device of this character that is simple in construction and operation and of such construction that an animal may be enticed thereinto without becoming suspicious of its character.

In accomplishing these objects I have provided the improved details of structure hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I' is a perspective View of a trap constructed according .to my invention. Fig. II is a central longitudinal vertical section of the same, with the bottom partly removed. Fig. III is a central vertical cross-section of the trap. Fig. IV is a detail perspective, showing the bait box and its mounting. Fig. V is a detail perspective view of the gate mounting.

Referring more inl detail to the drawings, 1 designates a trap constructed according to my invention, comprising a metallic hood 2, having integrally formed top and side members 3 4 and end walls 5. Each of the side walls 4 and one of the end walls is provided, at its lower edge, with an out-turned flange 6 adapted for slidable engagement within inwardly opening sockets 7 formed by the inturned edges 8 of a metallic bottom plate 9, which may be removed from the trap when the latter is in use, in order that the floor of the trap may correspond with that of the surrounding Hoor, and in order to obviate suspicion of an animal about to enter the trap opening, but which may be easily placed in position to house the bottom of the trap, and carry the animal, or animals that may be caught therein.

In each of the end walls 5is a central opening l0, and secured to the said walls at the sides of the openings are inwardly exit.

projecting'flanges 11, having oppositely dis-Y posed a ertures 1 2 near their upper ends for hingedly suppoliilg the barsfl ofthe swlglne gatas 14:, 'each bal having down Curved. ends .1.5, which keep the bars 'in Pla-Ce and at as Sto .S to Prevent the 'gates ,from

swinging outwardlyv throughV the door openy ings.

@eparina .from aossifbas f1.4 are pangs' 1 6, thatiare'clesely 'spaced across the` onthings and provided with sharpenediWer.

eedslff .Se that an. .animaLenti'ine the aap by Ypanningthe gate inwardly, is' caught vha the sltarneeed Brenes it attempts te battant. .f a The flanges 11 extend downwardly and inwardly as shown in sections 18 of said flanges; the bottom lines thereof are at right angles to the lower edge of the front of the trap, and project into the `interior of the trap a sufcient distance to prevent a caught animal from escaping when another animal opens thegate to enterthe trap. I also provide a bait box 19 which is supported on one of the side walls by lips 20 that are stamped inwardly in the wall and form a slot 21 to receive the supporting flanges 22 on the bait box. The hood is also provided with a handle 23 to facilitate its handling.

In using vthe device, presuming it to be constructed as described, the bait is placed in the box and the bottom plate removed, so that the hood may rest on the ground or oor,and so that when a rat, or other animal, approaches the hood entrance, it will not be suspicious of the device, owing to the fact that there is no tin or otherwise unfamiliar footing to step upon as itenters the trap. When the animal starts to enter the trap, it pushes against the gate, which hangs loosely on its pivotal mounting and swings freely into the trap and allows the animal to pass therebeneath. Should the animal, h owever,` attempt to back out of the trap after it has started to enter, the inturned prongs on the lower end of the gate willl catch in its neck or back and prevent its After the animal has passed beneath the gate into the trap, the gate automatically closes by swinging back into the opening andthe animal is confined within the trap, but without interfering with the entrance of another animal thereinto, in this way adapting the trap for catching any number of animals without resetting. 1When the trap is to be emptied, the bottom member -is slipped to place by projecting the same be-V neath the trap with the edge lips of the bottom under the flanges at the bottom edges of the trap sides; the bottom member being moved beneath the animals confined within the trap, so that when the bottom is in place and the trap lifted, the animals are supported on the removable bottom member.

It is readily apparent that animals may be removed from the trap by merely withdrawing the bottom member and allowing the animals to drop therefrom, and that a narrow or relatively large opening may be made for the escape of the animals, so that but one or two may escape at a time, or if desired, all of the animals may be dropped at once by completely removing the bottom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

A trap comprising a metallic hood having outturned flanges at its lower edge and having end openings therein, a bottom plate having inturned edges to form inwardly Opening sockets to slidably engage said outturned hood flanges, inwardly projecting flanges secured at the sides of said hood openings and having oppositely disposed apertures at their upper ends, a crossbar having andown-turned outer end revolubly mounted 1n said apertures, downwardly por- ]ecting prongs secured to said crossbar and having inwardly curved and sharpened lower ends, a bait box mounted within said hood, and a handle on said hood, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. BEVERLY. Witnesses:

LYNN A. ROBINSON, RETTA F. THOMAS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

